


Found you in the storm

by reveetoile



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:07:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26542675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reveetoile/pseuds/reveetoile
Summary: Nino is a merperson who gets injured and washed up on the shore of a beach unconscious and is found by Ohno.
Relationships: Ninomiya Kazunari/Ohno Satoshi
Comments: 62
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

Ohno looked a bit forlornly at the ocean he had wanted to go fishing today, but the storm had made it impossible. Honestly, Ohno had thought that the captain wouldn’t take him out today, but it was his free day, and they had planned it, for now, so he had wanted to try at least.

But, there was nothing he could do. If the captain said that he would not take anybody out today, it wouldn’t happen. Ohno knew better than to argue with the captain, and he really didn’t want to lose his permission to go with him whenever he wanted, and there was free time. Also, Ohno thought, the water was so restless that the possibility to find any fishes was pretty low. Instead of going home, though, he decided to take at least a short walk along the shore. The water was wild, he was already wet and somehow the time at the beach always managed to calm him down even if it was like this. 

His eyes fell on a figure on the shore, and it stopped in his tracks. He stared at the figure to see if it was moving, but even five minutes went by without any signs of it and Ohno thought that this was probably not good with the raging waters today. 

He skidded down the dunes, trying not to fall or knock himself out. Ohno knelt beside his body, checking for a pulse and sighed in relief as he found it. He was also still breathing, which was a wonder but also a relief. 

But regardless of how often Ohno tried the other didn’t move or wake up. 

“How the hell did you end up here?” Ohno asked, not expecting an answer and almost jumped in surprise when the other man groaned. He moved him to his back, cringing as he saw the wound on his temple. “Never mind. You can’t stay here,” he mumbled as he felt the water coming in the shore again. He picked the other man up, groaning slightly at the weight but he carried him away from the incoming water, and up the beach, as he turned to his small house he had managed to buy from the money he saved up for the last years. 

By the time he was inside the hut, he was shivering from how soaked he was, and he feared that the man in his arms wasn’t any better. He probably should bring him to a doctor, but in this weather, it was almost impossible to go to the next village and even if neither of them was ill right now, chances were high that they would be once they reached the hospital. 

Ohno rolled his eyes at his thoughts and carried the man to his bedroom. He stared at the bed for a moment, and then at the soaking wet body in his arms and groaned as he turned around to bring him to the bathroom. He didn’t want to do this, but it would not help if he put him to bed like that. 

“I’m sorry,” Ohno mumbled after he had put the still unconscious man in the tub and started to undress him. He felt the heat in his cheeks but tried his best to ignore the pale, smooth skin of the other man as he took off one layer after the other. The dark moles on his skin were even more pronounced because of the pale skin, and he bit his lips as to hold himself back in tracing them even if it was hard.

Ohno sighed happily when the man was finally naked, and he had managed to wrap a towel around him. He wished he could just take off his wet clothes, but first, he wanted to make sure that the other was okay. He still was breathing, and his pulse seemed to be normal. So Ohno just decided to clean the wound on his temple as he hadn’t seen anything else but a few bruises so far and then carried him finally to his bedroom and put him under the blankets, because his skin was still scarily cold to touch. He then almost ran back to the bathroom to get out of his wet clothes finally and took a hot shower before settling down in the living room. He would otherwise a very creepy stalker or something like that, probably. 

— 

Ohno was checking the news on his phone when he heard sounds coming from the other room. A sharp intake of breath and a whimper shortly after, but when he could hear a thump in the other room, Ohno jumped into the room to check on the man he had brought. 

The man looked up when he heard Ohno enter and Ohno slowed down when he saw the wide eyes of him. The stranger looked scared, and that was the last thing he had wanted.

“Sorry I didn’t want to spook you. Do you remember what happened?”

The other blinked once or twice as he tried to remember what happened. He then slowly nodded though, and Ohno breathed in relief. 

“I found you on the shore and brought you home because the weather was only getting worse and I didn’t want to read of a dead body tomorrow in the newspaper.”

Again the other nodded only in understanding and Ohno bit his lower lip. He hoped that the other would answer soon. He hated talking, and this silence was nerve-wracking right now. 

“You hit your head pretty hard. Does something else hurt? I can get you a pain killer,” he mumbled. The stranger looked at him for a few more moments, his fingers wandering to the wound on his temple that Ohno had dressed in some gauze. His flinched when he moved his wrist though and Ohno feared that he had overseen something. The man hissed and looked down at himself. He realised then that he was naked and pulled the blanket over his body as he started to shiver. 

“Sorry, your clothes were wet. I can lend you some of mine.”

“Who are you?” 

Ohno almost wept when he heard the other voice. It was calm and puzzling, and there was a curious tilt in his voice, like an accent that Ohno could not entirely place.

“Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself,” Ohno babbled. “But I was so worried, are you cold? Does your arm hurt? How’s your head? God, I’m glad you can talk.”

Ohno looked at him again when there were no more words forthcoming blushing when he saw the amused glint in the other’s eyes as he realised that he had still not told him his name. 

“I’m Ohno Satoshi.”

“Thank you for rescuing me. I’m Ninomiya Kazunari, Nino for short.”

“I’ll call you Nino then?”

Nino nodded. “And some clothes would be nice. It’s cold.”

“That’s because of the storm outside,” Ohno mumbled, and Nino shrugged slightly as if he didn’t care, and Ohno supposed he didn’t.

Ohno sighed and walked over to his cupboard to pull out a shirt and boxer-shorts for him to change to. Nino was cringing when he used his hand and then sighed as he rolled his wrists. 

“I might have sprained my wrist,” Nino explained. 

Ohno wrinkled his nose and knelt in front of him. He carefully took a hand in his owns and touched the sore parts as he moved his hand carefully. Nino hissed or winced, but it seemed to be not too bad, when he looked up he was surprised to see the tears in his eyes and touched them with the pads of his fingers to catch the tears. 

When Nino blushed at his touch which brought a blush on Ohno’s face in answer. “It doesn’t seem to bad. We can put a bandage on it so that you won’t move it, because in this weather I wouldn’t want to walk to the hospital.

Nino wrinkled his nose at the thought of having to go to the hospital and nodded in agreement.

“Back in bed with you,” Ohno said then though and sighed as he saw Nino stumble as he tried to get onto his feet. He picked him up, feeling already tired himself as he put him back on the mattress. Nino stretched out his legs and kept his arm close to his body. “Right I’ll go get the bandage and a painkiller.”

“Thank you,” Nino mumbled, his eyes were not on Ohno and Ohno left him for a moment to gather his thoughts since he could understand Nino’s confusion right now. 

When Ohno came back, Nino was staring at his legs and wriggled his toes with a look of wonder on his face. Ohno looked at him a bit confused as he cleared his throat. “Everything okay?”

“Yup,” Nino said with a bright grin. “Just not used to those.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Thank you for the rescue and help,” he whispered as he held out his hand. Ohno frowned as he bandaged his wrist and stared at the calm face of the other. Nino was looking at his wrist as Ohno dressed them, and Ohno wondered how the skin of the other could be so clear and smooth. 

He cleared his throat as he realised where his thoughts were wandering to, and that was not a safe place right now. “Do you need to call someone?”

Nino looked up in confusion at his words, and Ohno pointed at his phone. The other shook his head carefully and then smiled sheepishly. “No, it’ll be okay,” he said. “I’m sure they know I’ll be okay.”

“Okay, then. Do you need anything else?”

“My head hurts.”

“Take the painkiller then with the glass of water and then try to sleep again. It might help.”

Nino nodded in agreement and under the watchful eyes of Ohno, he took the pill and then laid back on the bed. Ohno put the blanket on top of his body, checking his temperature as he did so. He frowned as he thought that Nino was still rather cold and put a second blanket over him, considering to even turn on the central heating now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are interested in prompting me for Christmas stories, you can use either a prompt from the list or give me your own prompt. Important would be that you tell me the pairing and if you would like anything special in your prompt. I'm looking forward to your prompts. https://kirasebi.livejournal.com/305998.html

Nino woke up when someone came into the room, and for a second he was disoriented because of the soft mattress he was laying on, and for a fraction of a second, he wriggled on the bed, feeling like he needed to swim away but couldn’t.

“It’s okay, it’s just me,” a voice cut through his thoughts and his eyes widened as he looked up. He blinked a few times as his eyes met sleepy-looking ones, and slowly his mind caught up with everything else. 

Right, he had been stupid and swam too close to the shore when the storm had raged because he had wanted to show his friends that it was not dangerous for them. Stupid pride!

He winced when he moved his arm and felt the pain shooting through his wrist and sighed as he leant back. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“It’s fine. It must be strange to wake up in a foreign bed, hurt and disoriented. I hope you are not running a fever, though.”

Nino shook his head, shrieking slightly when warm fingers were suddenly on top of his forehead. It was not as if he could even get a fever, usually. 

“You are really cold. Are you sure you are okay? Maybe it’s the opposite of a fever? How is that called?” Ohno mused as his fingers traced his forehead, temple and somehow landed on his cheeks in a featherlight touch. 

Nino chuckled and grinned when Ohno blinked and took his fingers away a little bit too fast for Nino’s liking. Hypothermia,” he said.

“Oh, yes, that. Are you cold? I can give you another blanket or a heating pad.”

Nino pursed his lips in distaste at the thought of another heavy blanket on top of the two that Ohno had already placed on top of him. 

“I don’t suffer from that. I have just cold skin. It’s fine.”

“Huh?” Ohno said, turning around and now Nino realised that he held a tray with a bowl on top in one hand. It was surprising that he hadn’t spilt anything yet. 

“Did you bring me food?”

“Oh, yes, soup,” Ohno said in confusion, coming over again. Nino sat up on the bed, leaning against the headrest to allow Ohno to rest the tray in his lap. 

“I’m sorry for occupying your bed,” he said with a sigh.

Ohno shrugged slightly and sat in front of the bed on a chair he brought over. “I prefer my couch anyway. So it’s nothing, really. I mostly sleep on the sofa.”

“Why do you have a bed, then?”

“I wonder…” Ohno mumbled, grimacing slightly. “Maybe for people that appear unconscious on the shore during a storm.”

Nino’s lips twitched at the lame joke as he concentrated on the spoon in front of him for the soup. “Have you found many yet?”

Ohno shook his head and then sighed. “No, you are the first. But a first is at least not never.”

“True, I’m lucky then to be gifted by your hospitality,” he murmured, swearing when the spoon didn’t sit right in his hand.

“Do you need help?”

Nino blushed as he stared at his useless hand. “I’m left-handed. So it really sucks that I can’t use that right now,” he grumbled, glaring at his right hand. “But I should learn to use this one. I just never wanted to.”

“Huh, lucky,” Ohno said with a smile.

“Why?”

Ohno shrugged as he took the spoon and started feeding the other the soup. “I had a friend in primary school who told me that his grandfather would bind his left arm or hit his hand if he used his left hand instead of the right,” he explained. 

“That sounds awful. Nobody in my family would ever do that. That’s stupid.”

“It is, right? But I heard people say that it’s because they would believe only evil persons use the left hand.”

“Eh… humans are stupid,” Nino mumbled, before falling silent to allow Ohno to feed him the soup. He observed the other as he was cautious as not to spill anything and felt a bit stupid to have Ohno even feed him. He should probably have asked for a sandwich or anything one could eat with the fingers, and he would’ve been fine. 

But Ohno had sounded so insecure about the soup as if he had prepared it especially for him and it had been hard to say no to him. 

“It’s good,” he said as the bowl was finally empty, feeling the heat in his cheeks rising once again as Ohno stared at him in silence for a while. 

“The soup. It was good. Thank you for making it for me.”

“Ah, yes, of course. That’s the least I can do,” Ohno whispered, retaking the dishes to stand. “I should leave you to rest, or do you need something?”

Nino shook his head. “Not for now. I’ll call?”

“That would be perfect,” Ohno agreed and walked to the door. He turned around for a second in the doorway staring at Nino who was trying to get comfortable on the bed once again. 

He bit his lips as he tried not to dwell too much on how beautiful the other looked with his smooth pale skin, dark lashes and mesmerising pink lips. 

Ohno wanted to draw him and maybe look at him for a bit longer, but he was sure that this would be considered the actions of a creep which would be scary so he definitely couldn’t do that.

Before Nino could realise that he was still in the bedroom, Ohno carefully left, without making another sound. He left the door ajar to make sure to hear Nino if he needed his help while thinking of what to do with all the things he had learnt earlier and why he had even told him what he had earlier.

He grimaced at the thought of how stupid he must have sounded to Nino. But he was just no good at talking, but it had felt strange feeding Nino in silence. But in the end, it had only been more awkward for him to speak. 

Ohno closed his eyes as he cleaned the dishes while trying to figure out how to ask the other if there was somewhere he wanted him to bring without sounding either like a creep or like he didn’t want him here or too desperate for Nino to say that he would stay. Maybe he was allowed to could draw the other when he felt a bit better even. But that was also a terrifying question to ask if he was sincere.


	3. Chapter 3

Ohno watched Nino walking slowly through the small flat. His wrist was still tightly bandaged, and therefore he mostly wore comfortable shorts or jogging pants where he didn’t need to close any buttons and shirts or hoodies that were easy to handle. He was always very slow and looked a bit puzzled if presented with clothes that he hadn’t worn before. 

Right now, he was carefully making his way over to the sofa from the bathroom, holding to the wall as he went. It was strange, and Ohno was worried that he had hit his head harder than he had feared since it was as if he was discovering all those things anew. But Nino was witty and didn’t have any problems talking or answering his questions. He also mostly didn’t seem to be confused about himself. 

Besides… Nino didn’t want to go to the hospital. Ohno had offered him a few times over the last few days, and each time Nino had disagreed and told him that he was fine. 

Still… Ohno was confused. He tried to place the accent in which Nino talked, but nothing came to his mind. 

Nino grinned as he finally sat on the sofa and leant back. “What are you doing?”

“I thought we could watch a movie while having popcorn. How does that sound?”

“Good,” Nino said as he pursed his lips and stared at the bowl filled with popcorn. He gingerly took the cup filled with warm tea instead of reaching for the popcorn. 

The first time Ohno had handed the cup, Nino had been shocked by how warm it was and almost spilt it all over himself. Ohno had just managed to stable the cup before Nino let it fall. 

“Smells good,” Nino whispered as he inhaled the calming scent.

“I’m glad. I made white tea for us. It’s calming.”

“Sounds good,” Nino agreed, watching Ohno in silence as he chose a channel and then hesitated as he looked at Nino. 

“Do you have any preferences? I can rent any movie?”

Nino shook his head and shrugged slightly. “I don’t mind whatever,” he told him, grinning. “As long as it’s fun.”

But then he frowned and stared at Ohno a bit warily. “Just nothing with fishing,” he asked, and Ohno almost blushed. 

The first time Nino had stumbled into the room while he had watched a fishing channel Nino caught sight of the captured fishes and completely flipped.

“I apologised for that. And I didn’t know you would react like that, honestly. It’s just fishing.”

“They were dying and gasping for air. It was awful,” Nino said and shuddered. Ohno chuckled as he shrugged. He liked fishing and fishes, but he had learnt that if possible Nino didn’t want to consume fish or meat and he had learnt to accept that. 

“I get it you don’t like fishing, and I won’t watch them while you are in the same room,” Ohno said, rolling his eyes. “We can watch a comedy, I suppose.”

Nino nodded and pulled his legs up on the sofa as well and moved around a bit until he was comfortable with his feet hiding under a blanket Ohno had on the couch. 

“Cold feet?”

Nino shrugged, and Ohno could see even through the blanket that he was rubbing them against each other and probably wriggling his toes. Nino did that a lot after all. 

“You could wear socks.”

“They feel strange,” Nino said and wrinkled his nose. Then he motioned to his wrist. “And this is useless. So it’s hard.”

Ohno nodded in understanding and started finally the movie he chose before putting the bowl of popcorn beside them. Nino was watching him as he reached for the kernels and put some in his mouth, munching them with a hum. 

After a second, he mimicked him and put one between his lips nibbling on it slowly, and Ohno was almost amused at how little Nino ate of a popcorn kernel. Nino frowned slightly as he licked his lips before deciding it was safe and put the rest in his mouth. 

Ohno chuckled and leant back to enjoy the movie with Nino by his side. It was cute to see him giggle at the antics of the actors and Ohno was slightly scared at how used he could get to this. 

—

“Are you sure there is nobody you need to call?” Ohno asked after almost two weeks of Nino being there. He asked that question almost daily, and Nino would look slightly confused but then shook his head. 

Nino was currently sitting on a chair in the kitchen, watching Ohno cutting vegetables for a soup for them.

Nino shook his head with a little sigh and then shrugged. “No, I don’t need to call anybody. There is nobody,” he said carefully. 

“Huh? At the start, you mentioned people, though?”

“I said they should know what is up. But I also said that there is no reason to call anybody.”

“I know, but after that long, they might worry if you don’t call them and tell them you are okay. What if they are trying to call each hospital and all to find your body? They might think you drowned.”

Nino looked at him and hid his giggles behind his elbow, and Ohno lifted his eyebrow. He didn’t get what was so funny about it. 

“What’s up? Why are you laughing? It’s not that far of thought, considering I found you at the shore,” he reminded him as he finished cutting the vegetables and put them into a pot. He filled water and a can of potatoes as well, before looking back at Nino, who was still slightly giggling. 

“They would never think I would drown,” Nino said with a grin. 

“And why not? Regardless of how good of a swimmer you are. The storm was awful. The storm still hasn’t gone fully.”

Nino hummed and furrowed his brows. “Why were you at the shore then? If it was so dangerous?”

“I was taking a walk. Originally I wanted to go fishing, and don’t you dare to frown,” he warned him and flicked his button nose as Nino wrinkled it. “But I couldn’t head out for the sea because of the storm.”

“Why do you like to eat fishes?”

“They taste good. Not everybody’s stomach turns when they eat seafood.”

Nino stuck out his tongue and then sighed. He knew that, and he knew logically that it was fine. He couldn’t think of eating fishes or any animals at that. “Sorry.”

“Apology accepted. So what about your family? They are worried, right?”

“Maybe,” Nino said with a small elegant shrug of his shoulders. “But calling them won’t do. They don’t have phones.”

Ohno frowned as he had never heard something like that aside from some obscure cults and he cleared his throat as his thought went there. “Uhm… Are you a member of a cult and tried to get away? Is that why you want to hide away and not go anywhere officially? I can hide you if you need and help you start a life.”

Nino pursed his lips as he watched him with confusion evident in his eyes. “A cult?” he said slowly, the word sounding very foreign in his mouth like he had never heard of it before. Something that shocked Ohno a much. There had been going around so much lately because of the awful things happening in them. 

“Yes, do you need to flee? Did someone hurt you or scare you?”

“You scare me right now,” Nino said and snorted, before shaking his head. “Nobody did such a thing to me. Not that I know of at least.”

“If you say so,” Ohno mumbled staring at him and clearly not believing him fully. Nino sighed and got up. He took Ohno’s hand in his own and led him to the bathroom. 

“What?”

“Shh,” Nino said as a concentrated look was on his face. He started the water to fill the tub with cold water and nibbled on his lower lip as he stared at the water for a moment, not sure how to proceed. Then he took off his shirt and his trousers, almost falling on his nose as he didn’t manage well to stand on one leg, but luckily Ohno was there to keep him from slipping even as he was blushing hard when his fingers got into contact with his naked waist as to stabilise him. 

“What are you doing? And you should put in warm water. You are going to freeze to death.”

“Taking off clothes,” Nino mumbled as he ignored the bit about the water. He swore when he almost stumbled over the cloth on the floor as he stepped to the side. 

“I can see that, but why.”

“To show you why I can’t drown,” Nino mumbled, staring at him. “I wanted to keep it a secret, but I also don’t want you to think bad things,” he grumbled. 

“I don’t understand…”

Nino shrugged and lifted the small vial he had on a chain around his neck. He had it since Ohno found him and Ohno hadn’t taken it off because that had felt very strange. He hadn’t wanted Nino to think he would steal from him. 

Nino opened the vial and very carefully let two drops of the water inside fall into the bathwater before shutting it off. Ohno stared at him, trying very hard to not stare at specific body parts, but it was hard when Nino climbed into the tub, and his butt was in clear view for a moment, before he managed to step fully in the bath. Nino sighed as he slipped entirely inside, relaxing fully as soon as the cold water surrounded his body. 

“Try not to freak out too much.”

Ohno was ready to pull him out or put in hot water when he was stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened as Nino’s hair grew until it touched his shoulders with golden highlights in them. His ears grew and got spikier on the outside of the earlobe, his teeth were more pointed as well, and golden scales were wandering over his shoulders, neck and partly his cheeks, hiding the gills on his neck. 

Ohno’s mouth fell open as his eyes wandered deeper, there were gills between his fingers that made them look just smaller than they already were and he felt his cheeks heat up as his eyes wandered even deeper. He almost choked when he saw golden scales appearing on his hips a few going as far as Nino’s bellybutton and instead of the long slim legs there was a tail growing from his waist. The scales were a mix of golden-yellow, reds, oranges and dark blue and violet at the fin.

“But mermaids are not real,” Ohno spluttered the first thing that came in his mind. Nino scowled at him and moved his tail so that water hit Ohno’s face. He smirked when Ohno coughed and stared at him open-mouthed.

“I’m not a mermaid, but a merman and I’m pretty real.”


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I know this comes soon after the last one, but somehow it irked me that this was one chapter behind to my other short stories (Be my friend & Fake).

Ohno didn’t register the words Nino had uttered. He was still too enthralled by the looks of Nino as a mermaid. He was beautiful. The scales blended in with the normal skin of Nino and the colours sparkled even with the dim light in his bathroom. He wondered how beautiful Nino would look laid out on the sun. 

Before he realised what he was doing, he reached out to touch the scales where they met the skin on his shoulders and cheeks. He wanted to know how they felt and if it was different from the touch to the normal silky skin. 

Just when his fingers were about to touch the scales, he stopped short and stared at Nino, realising how bad it was to feel someone without being allowed to do so. 

Nino was observing him in silence. His bright eyes on his face without blinking. Ohno blushed and cleared his throat but stopped short as he had no idea what to say or what to ask. 

Nino’s eyes wandered to his fingers, and a small smile was on his face as he saw the hesitance. He breathed out with a little sigh, and his fingers touched Ohno’s wrist to push the hand firmly until they connected with his cold skin. 

Nino’s skin was even colder than when he was a human, and Ohno understood why warm water would probably have been slightly uncomfortable for him. It made sense, he supposed, considering how cold the ocean water was and Nino had to live in the sea quite deep not to get caught by fishing nets or other things that people used. 

Ohno’s breath caught as his fingers traced the skin and up until he touched the scales. They were completely different from the rest of his skin. It was not as slimy as he was used from fish but to be fair, Nino had not swum in the water for hours now. It felt more like the skin of snakes that was slightly wet. 

He couldn’t help himself as his fingers wandered upwards to the point where the neck met the shoulder and ran a fingertip over the closed gills, but he winced when Nino hissed and moved back. “Sorry,” he whispered.

“It’s fine they are just very sensible,” Nino breathed, and Ohno nodded as he sat back on his heels still staring at him. 

“So you are a mermaid?”

“Merman,” Nino corrected but nodded. 

Ohno pursed his lips as his eyes raked his body up and down, fascinated by the fin that was moving slightly in the water. It looked cramped, though. Nino’s fin was longer than his legs, and since he half laid in the water, he didn’t fit in. 

Still, he couldn’t look somewhere else but the beautiful colours and cleared his throat. “May I paint you?”

Nino blinked a bit, staring at him in confusion. Ohno realised that the other was silent and looked up with a blush decorating his cheeks.

“Ah… I wanted to paint you since I saw you. You look really beautiful, but your mermaid-form is… Something entirely else,” he rambled.

Nino frowned. “Merman,” he corrected again and then shrugged. “If the storm finally dies down, you are allowed to paint me at the ocean, as a thank you for taking care of me. But not in the tub. The tub is not really sexy.”

Ohno stared at him in surprise but couldn’t help a giggle. Then he frowned worriedly though, and Nino almost rolled his eyes. 

“Are you okay with being out of the ocean?”

“Yep,” Nino said and sighed. “Not forever. But for a while… But it’s nice to be in seawater again.”

“Huh?” Ohno asked in confusion but then remembered the small vial. “It’s because of your vial?”

Nino hummed in agreement. “It has water from the heart of the ocean. All mer-folk gets gifted it when they reach maturity. Every water turns into seawater with just a drop,” he explained.

“Smart,” Ohno said and sighed. “And that explains why you don’t change when you shower or do you?”

Nino snorted. “No. I was not in this form when you found me, right?”

“Right…” Ohno said and blinked then. “Why not?”

“Because the rain has washed away the seawater by then,” Nino said patiently, moving his fin as he submerged a bit more or tried at least. But a deep frown was settled on his face, and Ohno mourned the fact that he had never cared about having an oversized tub. It would be more comfortable for the other right now. 

“I’m sure I can bring you back soon. Your hand is almost healed,” he promised and feeling slightly bolder thanks to Nino’s earlier actions ruffled his long hair with his fingertips. “Until then, it’s all that I can offer you. I need to check on the soup. Or do you need help?”

Nino shook his head and pushed himself up with his hands. His eyes were on Ohno as the other forced himself to leave the man alone and give him privacy even if there were so much more things that he would like to know to see or hear. 

There was a fond little smile on Nino’s face at the acceptance from Ohno that the other missed that way. 

Nino sighed as he put his chin on the rim of the bathtub, staring at the closed door. He missed home, but he would miss Ohno when he left, he thought with dismay. 

This small man whose face lightened up when he entered the room, who always smiled at him and let him do whatever he wanted while still being worried over his wellbeing. It was cute and something Nino was not used to. Nino knew it had been dangerous when he changed forms in front of him. Ohno would have been not the first man to capture one of his people, and Nino shuddered at the horror stories they were told as children by the elders. But Ohno was different, he thought happily. 

He closed his eyes as he listened to the sounds of Ohno finishing their lunch as his fingertips danced over the parts that Ohno had touched, feeling warmth spreading inside of him. He sighed as even that didn’t take away the pull in his heart entirely away though. With a small shake of his head, he rinsed the tub and used the small showerhead attached to clean the salt from his skin so that he was able to climb out of the tub and get ready for lunch.


	5. Chapter 5

Ohno was staring at Nino’s slim legs while Nino was reading a book. They were sat on the sofa, and Ohno was pretending to be focused on his phone, but his eyes always wandered to the long legs of the other. 

Nino was sitting on the other end of the sofa, his legs stretched out on the couch and now and then his toes were moving against Ohno’s legs. It was very comfortable, and they had gotten used to it over the time of the last week, but now that Ohno knew that Nino had a tail it felt very different somehow. 

He reached out, before he could stop himself, his fingers sneaking under his legs and he tickled the inside of his knee slightly. 

Nino twitched slightly at the touch and looked up from his book. Ohno grinned sheepishly, but his finger traced the sensitive skin of the other again. 

Nino giggled and kicked the other slightly in the side. “What is going on with you?”

“I can’t help myself, sorry,” Ohno said and watched him. 

Nino chuckled and put his book away. “You are stupid,” he said and poked his thighs with his toes. He stretched out and then hid his feet under Ohno’s legs. 

“Cold?”

“A bit. It’s strange. Normally I’m never cold.”

“Your mermaid body is probably used to colder waters than I could ever be.”

“Merman,” Nino interjected with a snort.

“Nino?”

“Mhm?”

“Why did you show me your true form?”

“Because I knew I could trust you. And other then you want to touch my legs now you didn’t change. I didn’t see you call anybody to sell me off for strange things.”

“Never!” Ohno shouted, almost offended, and Nino giggled.

“But others would,” Nino sighed. “I’m not the first that has ended up on shore.”

Ohno hummed in understanding. “Hey, Nino?”

“Mh?”

“What happened to them?”

“They died. We all die if we are too far from the ocean or too long away from it,” Nino explained with a shrug. “They are the tragic scary stories we tell our children so that they are careful as not to swim too close.”

“Didn’t work for you,” Ohno teased. 

“And still I am lucky,” Nino agreed with a giggle. “But it was a stupid accident. I didn’t think the storm was that bad.”

“Nobody really did,” Ohno agreed. “Just the captain was very sure to tell me that there is no way he would take me out onto the ocean.”

Nino hummed in understanding, with a small smile on his face. “That’s one very smart captain then.”

“So are you fine for not going back just yet?”

Nino nodded. “The ocean is very close to your home, and it has not been yet a whole month. It would be a hassle by then if I won’t go back visit it.”

“Oh, but it’s almost been that long.”

“Almost,” Nino agreed. “Don’t worry.”

“If you say so.”

“I do or do you want to get rid of me already?”

“No,” Ohno said fast, and Nino chuckled as he had only meant it as a joke. “I like you being here,” Ohno whispered, blushing slightly at the words. 

“Huh?” Nino said sitting up a little straighter, which looked a little comical since one of his feet got stuck and he had to wriggle on the sofa as not to fall. “What do you mean?”

“I like being with you. You are fun, and it’s a lot more fun to be around you than being alone,” Ohno said honestly. 

“I like being around you as well,” Nino said, looking down at his hands. 

“But I know that you need to go home to be safe,” Ohno whispered. “So I try my best to no be disappointed when you have to leave.”

“Yeah…” Nino whispered and kept silent for a while. He was frowning as he observed Ohno who had turned back to his phone after the answer. 

“But you still get to see me,” Nino then said. 

Ohno perked up and wrinkled his nose. “How?”

“I promised you to let you draw me,” Nino reminded Ohno. “So you get to see me at least once more.”

“True,” Ohno said with a small smile. “And I will probably need more than one afternoon to draw you completely.”

Nino grinned as he nodded. “Probably. After all, you need to make me look handsome and cool.”

“Or pretty and adorable in your mermaid form.”

“Merman,” Nino said and poked his cheek. 

Ohno chuckled and jumped to his feet. “Dinner?”

“Mhm… I’m pretty hungry,” Nino agreed.

“Oh… That reminds me: Are all mermaids against fish or meat?”

“We seldom eat meat, but merpeople usually eat fish. I just don’t like them. And we usually kill them faster than what the people in the TV did. That was gruesome.”

“You do realise no people are living in the TV, right?” Ohno asked with a frown. He didn’t think so, but sometimes Nino used strange phrasings that made him wonder. 

“I do know that. I’m not stupid.”

“But not very knowledgeable of technology.”

“We don’t need it… Or rather we have other kinds of technology,” Nino answered with a shrug.

“I see it’s interesting. I wished I could visit you.”

“Maybe if you are good,” Nino teased with a smile. “There are possibilities for a human to visit us.”

“There are.”

“Mhm… But I can’t explain them right now. I never was interested in that kind of stuff after all.”

“Oh, I see. I’m looking forward to whatever will be possible then. But for now, I shall make you some food.”

“Thank you, Oh-chan,” Nino said happily. He folded his legs under himself as he picked up the book again to read a bit more. Ohno chuckled and left him be. 

He knew that maybe he should make Nino help him, but Nino still couldn’t fully use that one hand after all, and he didn’t mind doing it alone. He was used to that after all. And Nino seemed to enjoy reading mangas and books, which he couldn’t normally do. 

—

“Can you do me a favour?” Nino asked, and Ohno blinked from where he was sketching a picture of Nino’s face. 

Nino was frowning down at him and for a second Ohno feared that Nino was disturbed by him drawing the other man, but Nino was smiling as he stared at the picture for a second at least. 

“Of course, anything,” Ohno said, smiling as he put the pen down. 

“Do you want to finish it?”

Ohno looked back at the picture and shook his head. “I can do it later. And besides… It’s already ruined as I haven’t been able to catch the light in your eyes right.”

Nino blushed at his words, his eyes even turning red and looked down. 

“So what can I do for you.”

“I want to try one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Uhm… The people in the TV. They were dancing. It looked fun. I want to try it, dance with me?”

“You never danced?”

Nino glared at him and shook his head. “Of course not! How am I supposed to dance with a tail?”

“I’m sure mermaids could dance,” Ohno mumbled with a pout. 

“We can twirl,” Nino said, rolling his eyes slightly.

“Ah true,” Ohno mumbled. But he was sure that Nino would look cute dancing in his mermaid-form.

“So dance?” Nino asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “If you don’t want to, it’s fine.”

“No, I want to!” Ohno decided with a smile and put a CD in his player to chose a song he liked. He held out his hands for Nino and smiled when Nino took them tentatively. 

Ohno closed his eyes with a hum, as he listened to the song and carefully led Nino to the standard steps until Nino was a bit more secure on his feet and started to match their steps to the rhythm of the songs. 

He opened his eyes again when he felt as if they were doing well and smiled when he saw Nino looking in wonder at their feet, a small look of delight in his eyes as he realised he was not falling flat onto his feet. 

Nino giggled as Ohno twirled him around a few times until he felt dizzy and fell against the other. 

“Your hand is doing well, huh?”

“Mhm… I can finally go back home,” Nino said, his whole face bright at the thought of finally going home, even if Ohno thought there was a tiny bit of regret in his eyes at the same time. 

“That’s good,” he whispered, cupping his cheek and Nino nodded with a hum as he closed his eyes and pressed his face further into his hand. 

“Tomorrow… I should leave tomorrow,” he sighed.

Ohno nodded and stroke his cheek with his thumb. “I will bring you there then,” he decided. 

—

It was early in the morning when both of them stood at the beach, Nino was almost touching the water, but he was still a few centimetres away from it. He smiled at Ohno and tugged at his hand.

“Don’t try to find me ne? That might end with you dead, and that would be a pity.”

“But your promise!” Ohno said in a pout. 

“I will send you a note to tell you when to meet me,” Nino promised with a smile. “The weather is still too murky for good pictures.”

Ohno sighed as he looked up and saw the grey skies, threatening them once again with rain, but for now, it was still calm.

“True.”

“I will miss you, my fisherman,” Nino teased.

“And I will miss you, very much so Nino.”

Nino smiled and cupped his cheek to press his lips against the side of Ohno’s mouth. “Thank you for all you did for me.”

“Every time,” Ohno whispered his voice hoarse at the warmth that spread into him as they kissed. 

Nino smiled again and stepped finally back, his naked heels meeting the seawater and Ohno could see how the clothes slowly disappeared from his form and how scales wandered up Nino’s body as he moved further into the water. 

“Wait!” Ohno called, and Nino turned around, his eyes looking at him questioningly.

“Do mermaids fall in love?”

Nino chuckled and grinned at him. “Of course, Oh-chan, we mate for life.”

“And did you ever…?” Ohno didn’t finish his words, not knowing what to say, and Nino’s eyes got a bit sad as he stared at him. 

“Yes,” he whispered as the next wave engulfed him and when it subsided Nino was gone with it.

Ohno sighed and looked for Nino a bit longer even if he knew that the mermaid would not come back so fast. Nino had told him that he would need to go home soon after all and Ohno was sure that people were waiting for his return. 

Still, he stayed where it was until he felt the first raindrops fall and finally turned around to go home—wondering if Nino would even honour his promise and meet him again or not.


	6. Chapter 6

“You look love-sick,” the captain said with a laugh in his voice as he handed Ohno a can of beer. Nino shrugged slightly and then sighed a little bit. 

“Do you believe in the existence of other creatures, Aiba?”

The other man laughed, and Ohno felt right away comforted. It was something that the captain always managed to do. He never laughed at people in malice or just to make fun of them, and it had always been a nice thing for Ohno. 

“I don’t just believe in them; I know they exist. Have for years now,” he said, and Ohno choked on the beer he had taken a sip from. 

“What?” he asked, flinching when the other hit his back. 

“I was watching you these last few days. You go to the shore almost daily, staring out at sea and then go back home after a few hours,” the other hummed. “It reminded me of my younger years.”

“Huh?” Ohno asked and looked up at him again when he realised that the other was not making fun of him. “What are you talking about?”

“I was the same when I met Sho-chan,” the other grinned and leant back against the railing of his boat with a happy smile on his face. 

“Who is Sho-chan?”

“A merman, I met when I was in my teens. I couldn’t believe they existed and wanted to go out into the ocean to meet him. I almost drowned. I told you my lung collapsed when I was in my teens? It happened then. They rescued me and brought me to a hospital, and Sho-chan stayed with me. He scolded me for being so stupid.”

Ohno’s mouth fell open as he stared at Aiba. He would never have thought about the other knowing or having met mermaids. Aiba had never even mentioned anything about that. And Aiba talked about anything. “How?!”

“I meet them regularly on the sea when I don’t take anybody. It’s nice to know that they are safe. I warn them to stay away from the surface when I know that people come here.”

“That’s nice.”

“You met one, right?” Aiba said. “Sho-chan said Nino went missing, and they were worried because they couldn’t find him on the beach after the storm was over. Sho-chan came to me in the middle of the night, and as much as I love surprise visits from my lover, it’s horrible when Sho-chan is crying and panicking.”

“Sorry? I didn’t know about them. He didn’t tell me.”

“At least he is smart in that regard. Since you didn’t appear on the shore after the storm asking me again to go fishing, I knew you found him and took him in. I told Sho-chan that he is safe. You would never sell him to some strange scientists.”

“No, never. Nino mentioned such a horror story. He said it’s like a fairy tale they tell little children though.”

“Sho-chan said similar things, but each story has some truth in it, right?”

“Right,” Ohno whispered and rubbed his face. There were many mermaid stories around throughout the world, so maybe they got captured or seen, and it might be difficult for them. 

“But you still meet this Sho?”

“Yes!” Aiba cried out, laughing. “Of course. We are mates. Well, in his language at least. I mean we are a couple. In my mind, he is my husband. The merfolk mates for life. They fall in love for one person and stay with them until they die.”

“Ah,” Ohno whispered. “Right Nino mentioned something like that,” he sighed.

“Oh, he did? He is usually snarky and skittish when it comes to such matters.”

“He said he fell in love with someone. He looked sad though,” Ohno whispered again feeling depressed just thinking about it.

“I wonder,” Aiba said with a warm chuckle and tousled Ohno’s hair as e stood and checked where they were. He hummed as he decided to stop the boat and handed Ohno over a fishing line. “Up to some fishing?”

Ohno stared at the line and then sighed as he shook his head. Fishing now reminded him of Nino, and it hurt.

Aiba grinned as he prepared a fishing line on one end of the boat. He didn’t mind fishing, and he would need some income after all. 

Ohno stared out on the water, wondering how Nino was doing. It was surprising that Aiba knew about him and probably had talked with him before Ohno knew he even existed. 

He wanted to ask the other if he knew about the person Nino loved, he wanted to meet them and tell them to be the best for Nino there can be. 

There were a splash and laughter from Aiba that brought him back to the present, wondering if Aiba fell over - it wouldn’t be the first time, even if Aiba usually yelled when he fell. 

“Aiba is everything all…” he started as he jumped to his feet to look for the captain and blinked when he was face to face with Nino. 

“Nino!” he yelled and jumped to his feet to hug the other man. “How are you doing? Is everything okay? Why are you here?”

“The other’s dragged me,” he pouted and pointed behind him. Ohno blushed slightly when he remembered that he was not alone and stepped back to let him go. 

Nino grinned and took his hand in his. He smiled at him and walked him over to the other men. There was Aiba with two men Ohno didn’t now. Aiba was grinning, and a man was standing behind him, with his arms around his waist nuzzling his cheek. So Ohno thought it was that Sho-chan. 

If not than Aiba had a bizarre relationship, he thought a bit wryly. The man beside them was looking a bit annoyed and frowned at Ohno and Nino while rolling his eyes at the antics of Aiba and the other. 

“That’s Sakurai Sho, my childhood friend and the person glaring there because he had to come up with us is Jun-chan. He is my little brother.”

“He looks scary,” Ohno whispered, blushing when Nino stared at him in confusion for a second before he laughed out loud. 

“I suppose he is, but he is a big softy.”

“I’m not,” Jun scoffed. “You are just a brat.”

“Softy,” Nino grinned. “And worrywart. You didn’t have to come.”

“Well, it wasn’t me who has gone for two weeks without a note. I mean Sho was easy to believe that you were with that friend of Aiba-san’s, but he hadn’t seen you at all! So sorry about that. Mum and Dad are worried as well.”

“They always are,” Nino said with a huff. “I’m an adult!”

“You don’t behave like one,” Jun said and grinned when Nino pouted and crossed his arms on his chest. Since he was still holding onto Ohno, Ohno stumbled a bit as his arm was now caught in between the arms of Nino. 

He scrunched up his face, but then decided he liked very much to be close against Nino. 

“Well, being an adult like them or you are boring. So I like this more. And this me is good, right, Oh-chan?”

“Huh?” Ohno asked as he was drawn into the conversation suddenly. He slowly nodded and smiled. 

“Sure, you were an excellent house guest. As long as I didn’t prepare any seafood that is.”

Jun snorted at that and grinned. “Sounds like the brat,” he said and then shrugged. “I see you have safely arrived. I trust you not to go on land and get yourself on trouble.”

“I will make sure he comes home safely,” Sho said and kissed Aiba’s cheek. 

Nino rolled his eyes. “I’m not a kid.”

“Yeah, but you lost your adult privileges when you got into danger. Do us all a favour and stay low for a while.”

Nino sighed, but Ohno could feel that he relaxed and would agree even before he nodded and smiled. 

“I don’t want to worry them,” he agreed, and Jun grinned before slipping off the boat to go wherever. 

Ohno couldn’t help the curious glance to the sea as he watched Jun change into a merman and his tail looked a lot like Nino’s, but it was longer, and the purple was more prominent than for Nino. 

“Beautiful,” he whispered in awe, flinching when Nino elbowed him in the side. “Ouch.”

“I can throw you after him if you think he is so beautiful,” Nino said in a pouty voice, and Ohno rolled his eyes when Sho snorted in laughter. 

Aiba’s eyes were glittering in amusement as he dragged Sho along. “We shall leave them alone,” he sang and then started to sing love is in the air.

Ohno looked at Nino who was still pouting and looking at the floor, but he could also see that his ears were red and that meant that the other was embarrassed. Nino only was embarrassed if he was shy and he thought it very cute. 

“You came back,” Ohno whispered, and Nino’s ears perked up. 

“I told you so.”

“Yes, I’m just happy.”

“Well, I’m not,” Nino snorted and sat down rather abruptly when a wave rocked the boat. 

“Why?”

“I can’t stand being on boats.”

“But you’re a mermaid.”

“Merman. And yes, I’m used to be IN the water, not on the water,” he snorted. “It’s nauseating. But I came because I knew you were here. Aiba-chan promised to bring you.”

“Yeah, he was in front of my door suddenly,” he said with understanding at how this all was a plan by the others. “Did you miss me?” Ohno asked as he sat down beside him but then drew him closer to the small cabin in the middle of the boat to lean against the wall together with Nino in the hopes that this was a bit better for the other person. 

“May I ask you something?”

“Of course,” Nino said with a smile and Ohno held his hand in his own. He couldn’t help himself. 

“You said you once fell in love with someone.”

Nino stiffened slightly and nodded. “Yes.”

“Are they alive?”

Nino smiled and nodded. “Yes, he is very much alive and seems to be well.”

“That’s good. I want you to be happy,” Ohno said and squeezed him closer. “I hope he’s not jealous?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Nino hummed and looked at him. 

Ohno frowned and tilted his him when Nino smirked. 

“Are you?”

Ohno stared at him lost for words and not understanding for a second while Nino was observing him closely.


	7. Chapter 7

“What?!” Ohno croaked and cleared his throat a second after, coughing slightly.

Nino giggled as he watched as realisation slipped across Ohno’s face and cupped his cheek. He traced the soft skin with just his fingertips. “Are you the jealous type, Oh-chan?” he repeated softly. 

Ohno shook his head softly. “So you fell for me?” He sounded still a bit surprised and overwhelmed.

Nino blushed hard as he nodded shyly. 

Ohno grinned and tried to decide if he wanted to hear those words out of the other’s mouth. But Nino looked adorably shy, so he didn’t mind, and he didn’t want to tease Nino right now. 

Ohno smiled as he couldn’t believe his luck. He took his face in his hands and moved closer. “May I kiss you? I wanted to kiss you from the first time I saw you,” he whispered.

Nino blushed harder if that was even possible but also nodded in agreement. He closed his eyes when he felt Ohno come closer again and put his lips against the soft ones of the other.

Nino sighed as he felt the warm lips on his, Ohno’s tongue slipped out to caress his lips, and Nino let them fell open as he felt his heartbeat accelerate to unknown heights, as his hand slipped down and grasped the shirt of Ohno as Ohno’s tongue caressed the inside of his mouth. He had never felt like that, and he forgot how to breathe.

Only when Ohno let go did he sink against the other man and tried his best to catch his breath. Ohno’s warm chuckle ran over his neck as he held him close to his body and stroke his back until Nino had calmed down again. 

“I fell for you as well,” Ohno whispered against his ear, kissing the tip of his ear and buried his head in the sweet-smelling soft hair, wondering how that was possible with the saltwater Nino lived in usually. But he supposed it was because of some kind of mermaid magic.

“I’m glad,” Nino whispered. “I was scared you wouldn’t have felt the same. What my life would have become then.”

“Because you only fall in love once?”

“I never felt for anybody as I feel for you,” Nino said, looking up at him with still that adorable blush around his cheeks.

Ohno smiled and bopped the cute nose. “My mysterious mermaid,” he teased, grinning when Nino pouted.

“Merman,” he grumbled and tried to bit Ohno’s fingers as the other stroke his lips. Nino sighed though and then fell against his now-boyfriend, he thought, blushing slightly again at the word. He had never thought to fall in love, less with a human, and now he knew why his friends always told him that it was the best feeling in the world because it really was. And he felt slightly bad for making fun of the others when they whined about not being able to see their lovers.

Nino had been miserable when he hadn’t been able to be close to Ohno every day or see him regularly, and this had been as long as he was able to handle. It was only thanks to their friends that they met because his parents had been in a frantic when he disappeared for so long and he was not allowed to close to the shore. He knew that would change soon enough again, but his mother was angry at him for his stupid stunt, and he understood that in a way.

“My mum won’t allow me to come close to the shore for around a month,” Nino explained in a whisper. “So you won’t be able to draw me for a while. I’m sorry.”

“Mums are scary when they are angry,” Ohno hummed, and Nino chuckled as he nodded.

“Yes, I don’t want to go against her,” Nino said with a frown. “She’s very scary.”

Ohno chuckled as he looked at him, caressed his cheek with his fingertips. “Then we wait until she says it’s okay.”

Nino grinned brightly at the words and looked up at him. “Thank you!” 

“But maybe we can meet again here?”

“Uhn… I can make Sho-chan tell me when you are on the boat and come up. Aiba normally is very accommodating. I just hate to be on a boat,” he whined and pressed against Ohno when the boat rocked slightly. “If it wouldn’t move, it would be better.”

“Silly. I always would have thought that mermaids can tolerate anything to do with water,” he said and tweaked his nose. “You are really peculiar, you know.”

“I’m a very special merman,” Nino disagreed, grinning brightly, which made Ohno laugh.

“Yes, well, very special,” he agreed then, because how could he not? He kissed the nose again and sighed. “And I should try to get a boat license on my own? To visit you?”

“Would be nice not to have the others spy on us,” Nino agreed and huddled closer. He was sure that Aiba and Sho were watching them from somewhere and that thought was slightly creepy if he was honest. 

Ohno hummed in agreement and teased his hair. “But we can make this work?” Nino stared at him, but then he nodded. He was sure they could. Sho and Aiba made it work for over a decade. So they could do as well. They were better than the other two, after all. Ohno bit back a smirk as he saw the emotions run over Nino’s face and cupped his cheek to put a chaste kiss on top of his lips before he sighed and drew back.

“I think it’s time for you to leave, hm? The sun is going down.”

Nino whined lowly in the back of his throat as he hugged him tighter and pressed more against him. He didn’t want to leave just yet. It was still too early to leave for him. He wanted to feel the other against his body for a few more minutes. 

“Sho-chan will call me when it’s time,” he whispered. “My parents agreed that I could stay out until he goes home with me.”

“When you talk like that I fear that you are still a kid,” Ohno mumbled with a frown. 

“I’m not. I’m honestly not. But the merfolk is very closely bound. We live with our parents until we are mated and bonded with our partners for life. Then we create our own families. I’m twenty-five,” he said.

Ohno nodded relieved and kissed his nose again before forcing Nino to move around on his lap. He hugged him around the waist and nosed the soft skin of the hollow of his neck. “Look, the sunset is beautiful,” he whispered and hugged him close. “I always wanted to watch the sunset with a lover. In future, I want to stay the whole day at the shore, close to the water. See the sunset with you in my arms, make love to you under the moon and stars and cradle you in my arms when the sun rises again,” he whispered.

Nino stiffened in his arms and Ohno chuckled as he felt the heat running through Nino at his words. It was adorable how Innocent Nino still seemed to be, but it was understandable if he thought about how they mated.

“I would like that,” Nino whispered, and Ohno kissed his brow. 

“Then, my cute little mermaid, how about you are a good boy to your parents that we are allowed to fulfil that dream.”

“Merman,” Nino whispered with a pout but then nodded. He would love that, and he felt all hot and cold when he thought about the promise that laid in Ohno’s words. “I have not many experiences in such things, though. So I hope I won’t ever disappoint you.”

“You won’t be able to do so,” Ohno promised and kissed him deeply again. He smiled when they broke the kiss and Nino was once again left breathless. He looked up when Sho cleared his throat and pouted but obediently stood up and followed Sho as promised back to his parent’s home.

Ohno watched as both mermen vanished in the dark sea with a deep sigh as Aiba put an arm around his shoulder. 

“You sound like a lovesick puppy,” he teased, and Ohno shrugged. Maybe that was true after all. 

“I will see him again soon, right?”

“Of course, Sho-chan and I agreed to take you out more often now.”

“Don’t be angry, but I would enjoy it more to be alone with him,” Ohno said with a chuckle.

“Naughty,” Aiba teased, and Ohno laughed. Maybe that was also true, but Nino was enticing, and he would never be able to hide that.


	8. Chapter 8

Ohno sat at the beach a big blanket beside him as he concentrated on the workbook on his lap. He looked up when he heard hooting and shouting and smiled fondly when he saw his little mermaid blushing adorably as he shoved Jun away before swimming closer to the shore and finally climbing out of the water. 

Ohno put the book down and got up to greet Nino with a kiss to his lips, frowning just slightly at the taste of saltwater on Nino’s lips, he should’ve known better, but Nino looked so cute, he couldn’t help himself. 

Nino giggled and rubbed his nose against Ohno’s cheek before picking up the towel to dry his hair and shook away the last droplets of water, before letting it fall to the sand and sitting on top of it. 

He hummed as he buried himself in the big blanket, hiding his body behind it as he watched Ohno curiously. 

“Hello,” Ohno said with a snort as he sat down beside him. “How are you?”

“Good, I hate clothes,” Nino snorted and wriggled around under the blanket. Ohno could tell he was trying to get rid of his trousers at least right now and moved forwards to kiss the pouting lips. 

“Sorry,” he said with a chuckle and made sure the blanket was tightly around Nino to keep him warm. “But it’s not my fault you wear them.”

Nino hummed because it kind of was. He had to change back with clothes on after all, and that was why they were now hanging wetly off his body. It was always easier to change without them and then wear them when he was in his human form. 

“What are you doing?” he asked instead of arguing and Ohno shrugged as he picked up the book with a sigh. 

“Studying to get my boat license,” he mumbled. “I never was good at studying, though.”

Nino smiled genuinely at him and pecked his lips. “I’m sure you can do it,” he whispered and nosed his cheek as he put his head on his shoulder. 

Ohno blushed slightly because of his words and looked back. “I can do it later?” he said slowly, but Nino hummed in disagreement.

“Read the things to me, and I help you practise. I want you to get the best marks.”

“And then what?”

“Then I bring you to an inhabited island, and you get to paint me,” he teased.

Ohno blushed, but his eyes got more concentrated as he looked back at the book with renewed vigour. 

— 

“I did it!” Ohno yelled as he saw Nino’s head pop out of the ocean. He as grinning as he threw off his sandals and ran into the water to meet Nino halfway. 

Nino was squealing when Ohno’s hand went around his waist to lift him out of the ocean and kiss his lips. He chuckled as he put his arms around Ohno’s shoulders and his tail went halfway around Ohno’s waist as not to fall, as he bowed deeply to kiss his lips. 

“I told you you could do it,” he praised and played with his hair. “You did great. Congratulations.”

“I only got one question wrong,” Ohno continued, still in awe that he actually had succeeded in the test and now had the license that allowed him officially to own a boat and go wherever he desired. No more meeting here at the beach, hoping nobody watched them or on Aiba’s ship. The only thing missing was that Nino would be allowed out alone again. 

“Then you will be happy that my parents told me they agree to meet you,” Nino said, and Ohno gasped slightly. 

“What?!” 

“They want to meet the person that I gave my heart to, to see if you are worth it,” Nino said as Ohno carried him out of the water and sat down with him on a towel. 

“But… I’m nothing special. They will forbid you to see me,” Ohno whined.

“Stupid, you are perfect for me. They will see that, don’t worry so much.”

“If you say so,” Ohno mumbled, still not sure about that. 

Nino smiled and leant against him more comfortably to close his lips over Ohno’s. Ohno sighed against his lips, closing his eyes and decided to forget about his worry for a while and just enjoy the closeness of his little mermaid.

—

Ohno held tightly to the railing of the boat he had lent for today. He would put a deposit soon if he sold a few more paintings for his ship, but until then this was enough. He stared out to the water as first Nino’s head appeared and soon after Jun’s head. He was surprised to see Nino’s brother, but at the same time, it seemed fitting. 

Ohno didn’t understand much about mermaid culture, because Nino was too lazy to explain a lot about it. It was boring to him, and Ohno could understand that. The thought of having to explain their traditions was also awful to him. What he understood was that meeting the parents was a big thing. He also understood that Nino was nervous about this even if he tried to fake otherwise. 

“Little mermaid,” he greeted happily when Nino climbed the railing slightly to press his lips against Ohno’s in a greeting. 

“Merman,” Nino snorted and bit his chin as a punishment and Ohno chuckled. 

Nino let himself fall into the water again, and Ohno felt nervous when two older merpeople appeared. They looked a lot like Nino and Jun, and it was evident that they were his parents. 

Ohno felt his breath fail him for a moment, as he was glaringly scrutinised before a smile broke over the face of Nino’s mother, and she went to hug her son. “You chose wisely,” she said and looked back at her husband who nodded, even if a bit reluctantly. 

Ohno chuckled inwardly, realising that it was hard for the man to let go of his son, but seemingly found nothing to say otherwise. 

“I hope you will protect and love him,” the man said, his eyes bore into Ohno’s eyes. 

Ohno nodded slowly but firm. “I will protect and love him forever,” he promised. 

“Through good and bad?”

Ohno again confirmed the question. He would always stay with Nino if possible. 

“And you won’t hide him away from the ocean, even if you will never be able to follow him to the ground?”

“I would never forbid him to go home,” Ohno answered. Deep in his heart, he felt appalled at the thought of forcing Nino to live on the land for his whole life. Nino needed the ocean to strive after all. His eyes went to Nino, who blushed at his gaze, and he smiled fondly. Nino was worth it all. “And I would protect him from all dangers, and I want to treat him kindly and right. Never would I think of him any other way than equal.”

“Good,” the man said and held his hand out for Nino who moved away from his mother to swim over. Ohno followed his moves, his heart full at the beautiful family bonds he was allowed to the privy in. He listened to the man make Nino promise to always want the best for him as well, to which Nino readily agreed before he moved to Jun who was glaring at them until he hugged Nino tightly and kissed his head. 

“Your love and relationship should stand under the silver star,” he whispered, and Nino nodded. “Be good for each other.”

Ohno cleared his throat as he nodded and Nino left his family to climb onto the boat. Ohno put a coat around the other to keep him warm, and Nino grinned as he kissed his cheek in thanks. 

“You two be blessed for as long as you walk over this Earth,” the other three said together. 

“Thank you,” Nino whispered, and Ohno repeated the words as he watched them leave. 

“What was that?” Ohno asked Nino in confusion when they were alone, and Nino grinned as he moved closer to him. He put his arms around his neck and tugged Ohno even closer, and when he spoke, his lips were directly against Ohno’s lips. 

“They gave me officially over to you. You answered their questions perfectly. Just as I thought. I am yours now, and you are mine. There is just one thing missing now to complete the bond.”

Before Ohno could answer, Nino, pushed him against the cabin of the boat, kissing him deeply and pressing his naked body against Ohno’s clothed one. A move that made Ohno unable to form any more questions, as he pulled him tighter against his body. 

His hand moved to open the door behind him, and they stumbled into the small cabin that hid a small sleeping cot and washroom behind. 

Nino laughed breathlessly against his lips as his eyes caught the sheets, and he pushed Ohno over to this. 

“Make me yours?”

“Yes,” Ohno breathed in agreement, his fingers caressing his soft, flawless, naked skin under them lovingly as Nino let the coat slip off his shoulders and sat in all his nude perfection over him. 

A/N: I will stop it here. Probably no sex part following, sorry to disappoint, but nothing I could write would sound as perfect as I want it to be.


	9. Chapter 9

It was the late afternoon when Nino moved again beside Ohno. Ohno smiled as he rolled to his side to close squeeze Nino just a tiny bit more. 

His fingertips traced his shoulder blades, and he nibbled at the collarbone, before nuzzling his cheek. They had spent hours discovering each other's bodies before they ended up falling to sleep in each other's arms, and Ohno's stomach was slowly complaining at how long ago breakfast has been. 

"Hello, sleeping beauty," he whispered and kissed his temple. 

Nino sighed softly and turned his head to catch Ohno's lips with his own to a lovely kiss. His body ached at places he was not used to, but it was a sweet kind of ache that he didn't regret a bit. 

"Hey," Nino said in the end and looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "You're mine now."

"As are you," Ohno said, and Nino giggled as he buried his head against the naked chest. He kissed the salty skin right over his heart, knowing deep inside that he had belonged to Ohno right from when he had woken up to the worried eyes to the other. His heart was already decided that it needed to be with Ohno forever. 

Ohno held him close for a while longer, his nose buried in his hair, breathing him in deeply, while Nino had his head on Ohno's chest listening to his heartbeat with closed eyes. 

Then though Nino sat up and grinned down at him. 

"I need to show you something," he declared, a happy glint in his eyes. 

"Show me what?"

"It's a surprise," Nino said and kissed his lips. 

Ohno laughed but nodded. "Okay, okay, but I think I need food first. Aren't you hungry?"

"I still feel as if there are jellyfishes in my stomach," Nino said with a wrinkled nose. 

Ohno stared at him for a second before making the connection and softly caressed his hair with his fingers. "My adorable mermaid," he said and pecked his lips. "I can feed you before you faint on me."

"Merman," Nino said and stuck out his tongue. "A merman."

Ohno grinned as he teased his cock with his fingertips. "Right," he laughed. "I love you."

Nino perked up at those words and snuggled against his chest once again before Ohno laughed and cupped his cheek to kiss his lips the last time and then finally sliding out of bed. He put on a pair of shorts, before playing with a few loose strands of Nino's hair, telling him to wait for him. 

He went to the small kitchen (which was just a teapot and a small cooker, but it was enough to survive). He prepared two coffees and made them a few sandwiches before going back to Nino.

Nino was smiling at him with big eyes, and Ohno couldn't help himself as a wave of deep love rolled over him. How could Nino be so adorable and innocent while at the same time just so pushy and forward? 

He was going to love the heck out of his little merman forever. He knew that for a fact. 

Ohno slid back into bed beside them, and Nino leant against him as they ate in silence.

—

Nino was becoming antsy as soon as he finished his coffee though and stared at Ohno, waiting for him to finish as well. 

Ohno chuckled softly as he took his sweet time to finish the cup, laughing out loud when Nino grumbled and snatched it from his unresisting fingers to drown the last bit in one huge sip.

"So we have finished. Come now!" Nino said as he jumped off the bed. He giggled when he dragged Ohno up, who rolled his eyes and caught him around the hips to kiss the back of his neck. 

"Wear some clothes, or you get cold."

"I will swim, you follow with the boat. I am not staying here while it moves," he said with a wrinkled nose. "I don't want to spend most of the rest of the day throwing up. I have much better ideas."

Ohno was smirking, and Nino grinned before squishing his face. "Stop it, you awful, awful man."

"How am I supposed to follow you, though? It's dangerous to swim close to a boat."

"For humans," Nino snorted. "And you can see me from your cabin. I know that because Sho told me he does it sometimes with Aiba if he wants to show him special places. It's easier to show than to explain," Nino shrugged and kissed his cheek. "As long as you can see me from the cabin, I'm far enough from the boat."

Ohno still looked worried, but Nino was already wriggling out of his hold and climbing on top of the railing. He grinned at him and threw him another kiss before he jumped into the water. 

Ohno ran to the side to check if he was okay and then he sighed in relieve when seconds later Nino's head popped up from under the water. 

"Don't scare me like that!" he yelled.

"Scaredy-cat. Come on! And keep up," Nino shouted back and vanished underwater again. Ohno frowned but soon enough Nino was in a safe distance from the boat. He sighed and then disappeared in the cabin when Nino motioned for him to hurry up. 

He chuckled at the excitement that was still radiating from Nino, wondering what the merman had in mind now. 

It took close to an hour for them to come close to ashore and Ohno carefully stopped the boat and secured it, when he saw Nino waiting close-by. He climbed down the boat's ladder, preferring the safe route from the jump to his death. 

Nino was giggling when he was finally in the water, and soon two arms were around Ohno's waist, drawing him close and away from the boat. They were quickly halfway submerged in the water with Ohno on top of Nino. Nino turned him around in his arms, still holding him and Ohno chuckled. 

"Are you now taking me with you to your kingdom under the sea, little mermaid?"

"Merman," Nino huffed and shook his head. "Maybe another time. But it can be scary for humans to come with us. Because you are so used to breathing and the pressure is a lot for your bodies. I rather not break you," Nino confessed, and Ohno shuddered slightly. "But we can swim together, or you go snorkelling. I can show you a lot," Nino promised with a bright smile, and Ohno nodded. That sounded nice. 

Nino's tail wound around his hips, doing small movements to keep them afloat and pressed little kisses along Ohno's lips and face. He nuzzled the hollow of his neck, tasting the saltwater there, before kissing Ohno again, who hummed into the mouth of the other and soon enough they were linked in a lazy battle of tongues, none of them trying to win. Ohno was putting his whole trust in Nino to keep him above water, but it was not challenging to do so. 

He knew Nino would never harm him even if he liked to tease him a lot. 

— 

In the end, the water got too cold for Ohno, so Nino brought them closer to the beach and allowed him to get to his feet and leave the water, following close behind. He was still only halfway changed as he took Ohno's hand in his own, running with him along the beach to a small cave. He climbed inside, tugging Ohno along as the man followed him at a slower pace as to not to fall. 

It was not the first time Nino was here, he could tell, and the giddiness of the other was contagious, so he chuckled when he came out to the other side of the cave where Nino already waited impatiently. 

"I'm here. I'm here. What is going on with you?"

"I want to show you something," Nino reminded him, and soon they were at a small bay. The water was a beautiful turquoise blue, the sand almost white with how clean and fine it was, and Nino linked their fingers when he walked finally slower. 

Nino led him to a small cabin, made out of driftwood and Ohno was surprised at how sturdy it looked. 

"My parents gifted me with this house," he said with a shy smile. "The island belongs to us as well."

"Us?"

Nino nodded with red cheeks. "Uhn, the mer-folk owns inhabited islands. If we fall for humans, we can build a life there out of sight of other people. It's a parting gift."

"Huh?"

Nino chuckled and turned to face the other man. He held his hands between his face and pecked his lips. "I know it is strange to you. But under my law, we are married now. I have no home with my parents anymore."

Ohno's mouth dropped open in surprise. "What?"

"Uhn. Don't worry. I'm not turned away or something bad like that. I still have a place in the ocean in my homeland. And I can visit you at your apartment, but this is what my parents got us as a gift. Our place so to say. Tonight this will be our home, right?"

Ohno relaxed and kissed his lips. "Right," he whispered. He was overwhelmed at the thought that this man in his arms was not only his boyfriend or lover but from now on also his husband. At least in the eyes of Nino's family. He didn't know why he deserved so much preciousness in his live. 

Nino smiled against his lips and then took his hand in his own again, to cut the kiss short soon after and dragging him to the small cabin. He opened the door, but before he could step in, Ohno picked him up. 

Nino shrieked as he wriggled in his arms, but Ohno kissed him to silence and carried him over the threshold. He grinned as he deposited Nino on a makeshift bed. He was about to follow, but Nino shook his head as he jumped to his feet. 

"Not yet, not yet," he scolded, dancing out of the way as he brought a bag forward. "Masaki helped to make sure we have furniture."

"I will make sure to thank him then," Ohno said and cocked his head to the side to watch him with some amusement. 

"I got you this," Nino said and held out the bag. Ohno lifted his eyebrow as he opened it and laughed when he saw a sketchpad and new acrylic paints in them. He saw that it was all the right colours to draw the beautiful ocean, and Nino's merman form. 

"You wanted to draw me," Nino smiled shyly. "I want to permit you today. If you want?"

"Of course," Ohno said and jumped forward to embrace him. He honestly didn't want to let Nino go, but he knew that Nino was shy about the whole painting thing, even if he had so readily agreed all those months ago and he would honour the present as it was meant to be so he let Nino go, and followed him out. 

This time he stayed on the beach as Nino ran into the water, diving in as soon as it was possible for him. He climbed on a rock a bit away from the shore his fin and one hand playing leisurely with the water. 

"Won't you change, little mermaid?"

Nino furrowed his brows at him but then shook his head. "Merman magic," he said, making Ohno laugh. "Start drawing. I will only stay here until the sun is fully set."

Ohno hummed in agreement as he opened the sketchbook to start with the outline of Nino.


	10. Chapter 10

Ohno stretched out his back and frowned when he could hear his bones crack. But he was home again. Finally, he thought as he opened to the wooden door to the small cabin that Nino's parents had gifted them ten years ago when all with Nino still had been so fresh. 

A small smile was on his face as he looked at the beautiful painting he had done from Nino on the entryway. There was no way he ever showed it to the public. It was his small treasure. Nino looked vibrant with the high-class paint that Nino had gifted him. And even after all these years suffering from the salt in the wind, the picture was still perfect. He hoped it would stay this way until they were all old and wrinkly. 

He slipped out of his shoes as he entered the hallway and walked further into it barefoot. He knew Nino was probably not here yet. Still, Ohno pouted slightly when Nino was not waiting for him in the living room and fell on the comfortable sofa. He lied down comfortably on it and put his arms under his head and stared at the ceiling, for a while before he fell to sleep. He was tired after all. 

Ohno had just finished the latest exhibition and made sure to sell most of his paintings. He and Nino had travelled for this through a few cities, Nino accompanying Ohno as his plus one while Ohno held interviews and answered potential buyers' questions. 

Nino was always a big help since he was such a charming young man that often persuaded reluctant buyers with a bright smile and a heartfelt thank you. Also, people seemed to like the idea that the other man was his muse for most of the paintings. But it was just too easy to draw Nino or to draw when Nino was close. 

The only problem was that Nino often had to stay away from the ocean for a prolonged time, which was tiring for the mermaid. Ohno's lips twitched even in his sleep at the thought of calling Nino his little mermaid. Nino was always way too cute when he pouted and corrected him. He would never get tired of that. 

Ohno made sure to have the people around him plan the official appearances so that he could bring Nino back to the ocean as often as possible. Still, it now had been almost a month, and Ohno could sense in the other that the baths in the hotel rooms had not been enough for him anymore. He needed to be closer to an ocean. Any ocean really, but it was hard if it was not somewhere they could sneak out alone for a few hours, so Nino was safe. 

They had come home for two days, and Ohno had brought Nino to the beach where he had first met him. They had kissed goodbye, and Ohno told Nino to enjoy himself to his fullest out there.

They had agreed to meet here as soon as Nino was ready to leave the water again, and Ohno left back to his apartment on the main island to take care of their clothes and things at home, before stuffing his little boat with as much food as possible and left for their private island. 

He loved their island. He had put a vegetable patch under the trees and together with the fruits from the trees already there they had a good source of food when he went fishing. Since meeting Nino though he ate a loss less meat and fish than he had before. Only if he really craved it. It was just not worth the slight frown on Nino's face. The thing that grew poorly here was rice, so Ohno made sure always to get a few bags when they finished work and were able to run away to their little paradise. 

Ohno woke up to Nino playfully nuzzling his neck and playing with his hair. He blinked and looked up. "You're home," he mumbled, and Nino giggled. 

"Yup, I'm back."

"Welcome home," Ohno said and held out his arms. "Cuddles?"

Nino lifted an eyebrow but then put away the gaming device he held and climbed onto the sofa and on top of Ohno. He pressed his chin against his chest and looked at him. 

Ohno was carefully observing his lover, caressing the slightly cold skin with his fingertips, before entangling them in the soft hair. He pulled him further up to kiss him deeply. 

"I missed you," Ohno whispered when they separated. Nino snorted and caressed his collar bone with his fingers. 

"I was gone only for two days," Nino said with a chuckle. "Not that long."

"Mhm… But you were by my side a whole month before. How are you feeling?"

"Refreshed," Nino said after a few minutes of silent thinking. "I visited my family, played with my little nephews and stayed with Sho for two nights. Then I got too annoyed by his snoring and came here instead. Your snoring is just half annoying."

Ohno chuckled and played with his hair strands. "Sounds like you had eventful times. I only did laundry and bought rice."

"Very important things," Nino said with a giggle. 

"I even brought the games you bought," Ohno said and chuckled when Nino's face brightened up. 

"Really?" 

"Yeah, I have no desire to go back for at least half the month. Aiba agreed to contact me if I have important letters."

"Sounds good. I saw that one of the solar panels didn't move when I came. Did you see it?"

"No, didn't. I was tired when I came and fell to sleep. I wanted to check the solar panels and windmill tomorrow," Ohno said as he wrinkled his nose. Both should be okay, but sometimes things got stuck in them, so they had to make sure it was safe and clean. It might be annoying at times, but it was better than to have it broken because he needed the fresh water and electricity to live here comfortably. 

Also, Nino might be used to no electricity, but he had come to enjoy it a lot over the time he spent with Ohno and Ohno feared that Nino would rather stay in his other apartment if they hadn't found a way to make it here. And Ohno enjoyed staying on their island just the two of them a lot more than to be in the central city. He had always wanted to be on an inhabited island, now owning one with Nino was perfect. 

"Tomorrow then," Nino hummed and hugged him tighter. "Do you need food?" 

"I had a big lunch before I came here. So I'm fine. How about you?"

Nino shook his head, and his arms snaked around his body. 

Ohno giggled and pecked his forehead. "So what shall we spend the day with, little mermaid?"

"Merman," Nino snorted automatically and giggled then. "How about we go skinny dipping?"

"You just want to go back to the ocean." Ohno tickled Nino who laughed and wriggled on top of them. 

"Maybe," Nino said and pushed himself up a little. "But if you are tired we can also just go to bed."

Ohno hummed in thought and then shook his head. He felt a bit better after his nap and of course, having Nino in his arms was a big help as well. He kissed him and tapped his nose. 

"I like the idea. Let's go now then. It's still bright out."

Nino giggled happily and jumped to his feet to pull up Ohno. Ohno rolled his eyes but followed Nino outside. 

He watched the other as Nino skipped along in front of him, holding his hand in his own as he made their way to the water. Nino was adorable when he was this giddy, so Ohno didn't mind to do as the other wished. 

It had always been like that and Ohno had never minded. He was sure that even in the far future, he would never mind following Nino's wishes as much as he was able to. 

Of course, it also helped that Nino always try to make his wishes come true as well. He had found his life-partner in that storm, and he was very happy for that day it had brightened his life then so much. 

— The End — 

A/N: Sorry, this is not that good, but they are forever happy.   
Thank you all for staying with me and my stories for this year. I love all your comments and kudos. May the new year be filled with only the best things you can imagine for all of you.   
And if I got any new readers this year: Welcome! Thank you for supporting me this year. I hope you enjoy this.   
To my older readers: I am so happy that you still continue to read my small shitty stories and don't moan about all the typos or bad grammar. You are precious and important to me. 

On to more stories next year! I still have a lot of ideas in my head. Please don't fear that I will stop writing even if I am finishing a few stories lately. If I feel that a story is close to the finish I want to concentrate on that then suddenly and my mind is only on that story. Now my head is not so focused anymore on that stuff, and I can think about the other stories more again. 

TLDR: Thank you all. I love you. Happy New Year! May your wishes come true.


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